Tide’s Williams making ‘smooth transition’ to left tackle

TUSCALOOSA — In an effort to re-acclimate himself to working at left tackle, the right-handed Jonah Williams recently experimented with using his left hand as his dominant one, including when eating and writing.

“It was a game I was playing with myself,” Williams said. “I just wanted to try something and make myself more fluid and comfortable (with his left hand).”

While that experiment was fairly short-lived, it appears the 6-foot-5, 301-pound sophomore may have found a home as Alabama’s left tackle of the future a year after earning Freshman All-American status as the Tide’s right tackle.

“It’s been a smooth transition. I’m just kind of doing what the coaches ask me,” Williams said Monday. “It’s above my pay grade to make that kind of decision, but I enjoy playing left tackle, it’s what I’ve wanted to play for a long time, (and) I’m comfortable there.”

Williams, who played both right and left tackle as a five-star recruit at Folsom (California) High School, arrived last January and immediately helped shore up a right tackle spot that had become a revolving door of sorts along Alabama’s offensive line.

But with the departure of three-year starting left tackle and reigning Outland Trophy winner Cam Robinson to the NFL, Williams now takes over that spot, and has done so without missing a beat.

“It’s been pretty easy for him, I think. He said he feels maybe even more comfortable on the left than the right, which is surprising to me,” Tide junior left guard Ross Pierschbacher said last week. “He’s done a really good job. He’s the type of guy that if he sets him mind to it, he’s going to achieve it. He really wanted to get that left tackle spot and he’s done everything to earn it.”

Williams has made it no secret that his goal has always been to be Alabama’s left tackle, and would often put in extra reps at the position even after spending two hours of practice working exclusively at right tackle last season.

“I would go out on the field after practice with Ross and my buddies and play the left tackle spot, getting used to it, getting a feel for it,” Williams said.

Even Robinson, who’s projected to be a first-round pick in this month’s NFL draft, predicted Williams wouldn’t have any issue making such a transition.

“(Given) his versatility, I think he could play either side,” Robinson said last December. “He does it in practice some if we’re a guy short. Yes, I think he could slide to the other side or he could continue to play right.”

While the two positions are similar, the move from right to left tackle — or vice versa — can often be jarring since much of the footwork and hand placement is effectively a mirrored movement. And for those accustomed to working on one side over the other, it can require a bit of retraining of the mind.

Of course, Williams hasn’t faced any such difficulties.

“It’s the same as anyone trying to do anything with their left hand they usually do with their right or their left foot or whatever,” Williams said. “But at the same time I use my right hand for a lot of stuff at left tackle so it’s not a huge difference from that standpoint.”

Left tackle, especially at the professional ranks, is often viewed as a hallowed and fairly lucrative position serving as the first line of protection for a right-handed quarterback’s blindside.

While his future at the position remains uncertain, at least so far as at the NFL is concerned, Williams said one of the main reasons he’s looking forward to the move is it’ll allow him to utilize his dominant right hand to create more leverage at the line of scrimmage, especially when blocking in tandem.

“It gets technical, but anytime I’m working with the guard or working inside I get to use my power — my more natural hand — coming down and stepping inside,” Williams said. “It’s just that once you get used to it, I find it my more natural position.”